JW Anderson x Persol: sunglasses to style up the summer heatwave
‘I have always been a fan of Persol,’ says Jonathan Anderson. ‘They are a design classic; I wear them all the time’
Jonathan Anderson has long shown an interest in bringing a new lens to silhouettes, often exploring notions of mundanity and archetypal clothing. For his eponymous brand's S/S 2022 collection which was unveiled last month, the label looked at items synonymous with the everyday contemporary wardrobe, from fleeces to striped tops, and transformed them into something new, using 18th century-inspired strawberry prints and voluminous silhouettes.
The same approach can be seen in JW Anderson’s latest collaboration with Italian eyewear specialist Persol, featuring classic sunglasses silhouettes that have been imbued with a new sense of colour and ebullience. For the prismatic partnership, Anderson has looked to two styles – the ‘649’ aviator style, which dates back to 1957 and was sported by tram drivers before being popularised by Marcello Mastroianni in the 1961 film Divorce Italian Style, and the innovative ‘0009’ silhouette, which features four lenses – and reinterpreted them with two-tone combinations of bold blue, red and orange.
JW Anderson x Persol: classic design meets kaleidoscopic colour
‘They are a design classic; I wear them all the time,’ Anderson says of his long-held affinity for Persol. ‘The craftsmanship and quality is amazing. They remind me of midcentury furniture design, and their classic form inspired the colour combinations.’
In celebration of the collaboration, Anderson has enlisted Brooklyn-based photographer Tyler Mitchell, who also shot and starred in the brand’s A/W 2020 campaign, to photograph a series of emotive portraits, featuring men and women sporting sculptural hair creations that echo the architectural contours of the sunglasses’ silhouettes. These striking structures were created by Jamaican-American hairstylist Jawara. ‘I wanted images that became kind of poetic miniatures, almost like windows,’ Anderson says of the visual series.
Fancy starring in your own miniature portrait? We suggest you pick up a pair of JW Anderson x Persol’s prismastic sunglasses pronto.
INFORMATION
jwanderson.com
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Christmas gift ideas for design lovers
Wallpaper* global design director Hugo Macdonald compiles his festive wish list – from Poltrona Frau's luxurious dog leads to Carl Aubock's wicker magazine wall rack
By Hugo Macdonald Published
-
‘I want to push it forward’: Dries Van Noten’s new creative director is Julian Klausner
A member of the Dries Van Noten design team since 2018, Belgian designer Julian Klausner has been promoted to creative director after the namesake founder’s exit from his eponymous label earlier this year
By Jack Moss Published
-
Inside Dior’s ‘Gold House’ in Bangkok, a spectacular celebration of Thai art and craft
Daven Wu takes a trip to Bangkok to discover ‘Gold House’, a gilded new concept store from Dior which is rooted in both Parisian savoir-faire and artisanal Thai craft, featuring a café, gardens and showstopping gilded facade
By Daven Wu Published
-
JW Anderson and Pleasing design a balloon-inspired collection of nail polishes and more
JW Anderson and Pleasing launch an uplifting new capsule collection featuring balloon-inspired metallic nail polishes and a take on the viral rainbow cardigan
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
Why the slipper is set to be this season’s definitive men’s shoe
Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss unpacks the rise of the men’s slipper, which looks set to become this season’s most ubiquitous shoe. Plus, five styles to channel the slipper’s louche elegance in your own wardrobe
By Jack Moss Published
-
‘Her work is a compulsion’: Jonathan Anderson on uniting with artist Christiane Kubrick on a collection inspired by Eyes Wide Shut
A rewatching of Stanley Kubrick’s final movie laid the foundation for JW Anderson’s latest collection, which featured a fantastical collaboration with artist Christiane Kubrick, the director’s wife. Here, Wallpaper* travels to the Kubrick manor in Hertfordshire to capture the collection
By Jack Moss Published
-
The Wallpaper* S/S 2025 trend report: ‘A rejection of the derivative and the expected’
Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss unpacks five trends and takeaways from the S/S 2025 shows, which paid ode to individual style and transformed the everyday
By Jack Moss Published
-
For A/W 2024, the working uniform gets a futuristic spin
Sculpted silhouettes, unexpected textures and plays on classic outerwear meet in the A/W 2024 collections, providing a twisted new take on city dressing
By Jack Moss Published
-
A guide to the best fashion stores London has to offer
Wallpaper* picks the must-visit London fashion stores – from big-name boutiques and classic department stores to the best in vintage, alongside the sleek and experimental
By Jack Moss Last updated
-
Women’s Fashion Week S/S 2025: what to expect
Next week sees the arrival of Women’s Fashion Week S/S 2025, with stops in New York, London, Milan and Paris. Here, our comprehensive guide to the month, from Alaïa’s arrival in New York to Alessandro Michele’s Valentino debut
By Jack Moss Last updated
-
‘Things are not what they seem’: Unpacking the S/S 2025 menswear shows
Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss explores the trends and takeaways from this season’s menswear shows, from an embrace of ‘irrational clothing’ to couture-level craft and eclectic new takes on tailoring
By Jack Moss Published